Dreams
by starwomanwaitinginthesky
Summary: Rey had always had the same dreams at night, thirteen years straight. Now, she has nightmares that are even worse. Someone else who can relate tries to help her out.


Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, but there are times when I wish that I did.

AN: This is a little drabble that came to mind a few nights ago. I don't really think that I'll follow up on it, because this is something that should just be left as a one-shot. Thank you for reading.

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It's a few days after the Battle of Starkiller Base when the nightmares start.

Rey wakes up by breaking out in a cold sweat, horrified by the things that she had dreamt. Downing the glass of water by her bed in what was probably a record-breaking time, she sat back on the wall. Rey was no stranger to nightmares, but these weren't the ones that she usually had back on her home world. These were worse than the ones that she had been plagued by for the past thirteen years. These were more violent, some being fragments of the reality that she had suffered through over the past few weeks, others being of things that hadn't occurred yet, and if she had anything to say about it, _wouldn't_ happen.

Peering over at the holographic clock on the nightstand, she sees that it's 2:30 in the morning, long before any of the other members of the Resistance would be awake. The single moon of D'Qar is high in the sky, illuminating the trees and a sliver of her bedroom floor. She decides that now would be the right time to go outside and attempt to meditate.

It amazed her as to how many things had been given to her during her stay here, that were _hers_. Back in her downed AT-AT on Jakku, she didn't own many things other than the necessities she needed to live. Here, she was given _much_ more than what she ever had on her home world. It was a strange sensation to have so many things when she had survived on so little before all of this.

The night air hits her cheeks gently, cooling her off. The air on Jakku was dry, no trace of humidity ever gracing the air with its presence. The air here was so _fresh_ , so _clean_. It was something that she hadn't ever experienced before.

She finds a smooth rock to meditate on. Clearing her thoughts, she tries to find the inner tranquility hidden deep within her. It isn't easy, but she manages to do so. Until...until the nightmares begin to torment her thoughts.

That man taking a look into her mind, attempting to penetrate her deepest thoughts. Han being impaled by the lightsaber of his own son, then being thrown over the edge and into the gaping abyss. Chewbacca taking out all of those Stormtroopers. PAINPAINPAIN-

"I have them too, you know."

Rey is ( _thankfully_ , she mentally adds) broken out of the memories by a familiar voice. Looking up, she sees that General Leia is standing above her, offering a hand along with a tight smile. Rey hesitantly takes her hand, jumping off of the rock and onto the moonlit ground. Releasing her hand soon after, Leia begins to talk.

"You know, you don't have to keep all of your problems to yourself. You have people here who are willing to listen. You've got me. You've got Finn. You've got Dameron. BB-8, C-3P0, and R2-D2, despite being droids, are good listeners." The General looks at her with an air of sincerity that she had no memory of ever experiencing in her lifetime. She hadn't spoken to anyone on Jakku other than the few merchants that she bartered with. Kindness is something that Rey has never been shown, even as far back as her earliest memories.

"General," she starts, but the older woman shakes her head before she can get another word past her lips.

"Please, just call me Leia. I've never cared much for formalities over time."

"Leia," she starts again, the word seeming foreign on her tongue. "I wouldn't know how to properly explain these dreams to the people I know." Rey speaks carefully. Although she's only just met some of these people and she values the bonds that she's formed, she doesn't exactly feel comfortable sharing her private thoughts with others after so many years of keeping to herself.

"Well, what are they about?" Rey can see now that she's fighting a losing battle. This woman only wants to help her. She shouldn't keep trying to push her away when the lady is trying so hard to help her recover.

"These...these _horrible_ things. I'm reliving the past few weeks, as if going through it all once just isn't enough. Every detail is even more vivid in my dreams." A small portion of the weight on her shoulders begins to lift with every word leaving her mouth.

"It's about the time you spent in the Starkiller Base, isn't it?" Leia hits the nail right on the head.

"Yes," she says, rather uncertain. "I remember _him_ , trying to get into my head. I remember him...him killing Han. I remember the fight in the forest. I remember him hurting Finn. I remember all of the pain that was in the air. I remember it all." As she finishes speaking, a single tear slides down her cheek and onto the ground, temporarily staining the dirt a darker color.

Moments of silence pass between the two, until Leia finally speaks.

"He wasn't always a monster, you know."

"I know. It's just that what he's done to me is unforgivable." Rey feels more hot, wet tears sliding down her face at the memory of that horrible _push_ that she had felt while being held captive. She, by the grace of some unknown entity, had managed to resist, but had nearly passed out in the process of doing so.

"I know that you may never be able to forgive him," Leia begins, setting her hands on Rey's shoulders and looks up at her with caring eyes. "but you can recover from it. It might take three weeks. It might take thirty years. Hell, I'm still recovering from the things that happened when I was a teenager. But you can get better, little by little. I believe in you."

"Thank you," Rey uttered very quietly, being emotionally exhausted. "Not just for this, but for everything that you've done for me."

"Rey, you know that it's not a problem at all. I'm always here for you. Now, I believe that your bed is calling your name. Go to bed. Actually _sleep_. Sleep as long as you'd like. You need it after everythg that's happened." Always a leader at heart.

That night, when Rey crawled back into her cozy bed, she had the best sleep that she'd gotten in a long time.


End file.
